Kit Suggestions - Colonial Williamsburg
 

My sister and I have made spontaneous plans to go to Colonial Williamsburg for the July 4th weekend. Even more spontaneous, we've decided to stay at the Williamsburg Inn. I've dreamed of staying there for at least 25 years. I know I'm going to take a lot of pictures of just the Inn, and I'm looking for kit suggestions to scrap the hotel (website for the hotel - https://www.colonialwilliamsburghote...liamsburg-inn/) Thanks in advance for any ideas.

I think this might work...

http://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/sw...XBUpreview.jpg

Thank you. I do have that one...it's the first one I thought of.

Does anyone have any other ideas? Thanks!

That sounds like an awesome trip--have fun! I need to take my son to do a college visit in Williamsburg later this summer, so I'm hoping to squeeze in at least a few hours in the historic area. I've never stayed in the Williamsburg Inn. You'll have to let us know what it's like!

Unfortunately, kits for scrapping historical sites seem to be a real area of umet need (at least for me!) I have so many pictures from Williamsburg and other historical sites, and there are only a handful of themed kits for them. My go-to is the Moment in Time: Colonial bundle posted above. I also sometimes can make these work for Williamsburg, but maybe not for that hotel:

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/s...DLEpreview.jpg

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/s...emuseum-bu.jpg

I've used all 3 of those so often by now that I end up also using regular, non-themed kits and then adding in historical elements and wordart from those kits. I suspect that's going to be your best bet for the hotel--pick a beautiful kit whose colors match the hotel photos (KCB, DSI, and Flergs come to mind first), then add historical elements.

These may not have the vibe you're looking for, but they're two of the few (only?) hotel-themed kits in the store.

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/s...telstay-bu.jpg

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/s...ndle%20700.jpg

I have been to the Hampton Roads area 4 times and still haven't made it to Colonial Williamsburg even though I have always wanted to go there. I need to get over there sometime.

So I have been mulling this around and feel like I have to ask for some input on elements you would need in this kit. If you feel like sharing it would help me put together a picture in my head.

Two of my kids and I have visited colonial Jamestown and colonial Williamsburg. Element suggestions - musket, lace, white fence, things made of silver/pewter (gravy pitcher or tin cup or buttons), mop cap or straw hat, a colonial flag with 13 stars, wooden children toys (hoops, top), maybe a masted sailing ship, rag rug, church window
https://i.imgur.com/k7kgMJ5m.jpg
Maybe an outline of the colonial Williamsburg governor's palace
https://www.dailypress.com/resizer/E...8ea-snap-image
or colonial building from Jamestown
https://i.imgur.com/s45z1FYm.jpg

For the Williamsburg Inn, I really wouldn't know what to say since this will be my first time staying there. I guess I'm looking for kits in the colors (I believe the rooms are beiges/off-whites/and gold colors) and the style (Regency period).

If it helps, here are some photos of the Inn I found online:

https://www.colonialwilliamsburghote...n-hotel-schema

https://cf.bstatic.com/xdata/images/...a967fd&o=&hp=1

https://secure.s.forbestravelguide.c...-guestroom.jpg

https://lodgingmagazine.com/wp-conte...by-620x330.jpg

Thank you.

Thanks for the kit ideas. Colonial Williamsburg is a favorite of mine. I think I've been at least 20 times - although not in the last 10 years. I'll be sure to let you know what the Inn is like. :)

I highly recommend it. As many times as I've been, there's always something new.

I would love a kit specific to Colonial Williamsburg! I still haven't scrapped photos from the trip my daughter & I took in 2007!

What would be really awesome is if you could create a kit that gives the full picture of life in Colonial Williamsburg and the contribution of other prominent figures such as the free and enslaved black Americans that had much impact then.

Too often these things are one sided and glossed over (considering half the population was Black in the 18th century it's modelled after). We know the damage that does.

You can do a quick google search to find ideas/materials for the kit or even take inspiration from the tours themselves. There was a lot of positive contribution so you can still keep the kit 'light and breezy' if you wanted to.

For example, Nation Builders such as Gowan Pamphlet (founder of Williamsburg’s First Baptist Church); you could include an element with the baptist church and word strips with the names of these Nation Builders or create a type of 18th century style plaque with each name and contribution.

Also, James Armistead Lafayette (won his freedom for his service as a double agent during the Revolution), and many more. This information is available on Colonial Williamsburg's own website: https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org

Other resources:
https://online.fliphtml5.com/xzdns/mezq/#p=3
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/cgi/view...50&context=etd

Other elements/motifs you could create: pottery, quilting, Quakers as abolitionists, even the fashion of that time (representing both 'white' and 'black' clothing).

What I'm basically asking is that you please keep in mind that national heritage and identity should also be extended to non-Euro Americans when creating these types of kits as they are also part of the history.

Great point Danika! I have not done many, if any historical kits, but since I am thinking about tackling this one, I thank you for this input and the resources you have provided.

Thinking of things not specific to the Williamsburg Inn but to Colonial Williamsburg itself, the fife and drum corps play a big role in setting the tone. The junior corps is usually outfitted in off white hunting shirts with buff colored breeches. The senior corps usually wears the uniform associated with the 2nd Virginia regiment - red coat with blue facings with buff-colored waistcoat and breeches (the military would have the opposite - blue coat with red facings).

Cressets are used at night to light streets.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/de/90...44f8e454bf.jpg

Lanterns are used to light outside stairs and walkways and are also carried during the night time walking tours.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/93/e5...90a01e0c84.jpg

The flag commonly associated with CW is the Grand Union Jack. It usually flown outside of buildings to denote what's open.

https://media.istockphoto.com/photos...XIkQCo2tgsgxA=

A very distinct blue and white pottery is used (and sold) throughout the historic area.

https://c8.alamy.com/comp/BB58H5/cer...urg-BB58H5.jpg

I'm sure I can think of other ideas that would work for the historic area.

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/s...ndhonor-bu.jpg

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/s...DLEpreview.jpg

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/s...nkd-bundle.jpg

Thank you. I don't think I have any of these.

I was going to suggest Moment in Time: Colonial too. I have used it for several LOs of Williamsburg and Jamestown.

Lot of great ideas from the others... I also think any Red, White & Blue/Americana kit would work too!!!

I'm late to the conversation, but would like to add that elements that represent the trade arts and crafts that are demonstrated would be good things to have in a kit for Colonial Willimsburg. I've been multiple times with my family over the last 25 years and one of my favorite things to do is to watch and converse with the people who demonstrate the skills of the time - the cooks, the blacksmith, the cooper (barrel maker), the silversmith, tinsmith, the seamstress and wigmaker, the brick maker, etc. Not only will they gladly share their knowledge of their trade skills but they tell you about the social and political things going on at the time, which I have always thought fascinating. These interactions are my favorite parts of a trip there!
You have to give stomping the clay with your feet a try sometime - it is fun!
https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org...rom=navexplore

We got back from our July 4th long weekend in Williamsburg on Monday. The Williamsburg Inn was everything I'd hoped it would be...and more. My sister and I enjoyed it so much that we switched our October reservations from staying at one of Colonial Williamsburg's other hotels to the Williamsburg Inn again. I'm not counting down the days until we're back (98 days/14 weeks). Here are a couple of pictures of our room. It overlooked the golf course and was huge (and beautiful). When we switched our reservations for October, they were already able to block out the room we'll be in. We were told it's even bigger than this room. I can't imagine how that can be so.

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...7a&oe=60ED135B

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...6c&oe=60ED2DEF

Thanks for asking this question. I just found a bunch of photos from Williamsburg and Mount Vernon on my hard drive that have not been scrapped. I will take a look at the kits suggested as well and look out for a Williamsburg specific kit in the future.

I would love this! We went a few years ago!